Ellen Percy; or, The Memoirs of an Actress — page 274: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ec nar ee ne we a ee ee ELLEN PERCY; OR, THE —— ee ee ew wee ee eee a MEMOIRS OF AN ACTRESS. 261 every reason to treat her as a friend rather than as a menial; and I shall never lose sight of her.” The Earl reflected for » few moments; and he then said, “ Leave this matter to me, Miss Percy. I shall not forget your young friend Beda.” I now took my leave of Lord and Lady Car- shalton, infinitely delighted with all that had taken place during our interview. I proceeded to Zarah’s lodgings in the neighbourhood of the London University ; and on this occasion I found her at home. I had not seen her for nearly two months: it was at the close of June when I had left London for the vacation—it was now verging towards the end of August. Exactly six months had elapsed since Zarah had separated herself from her old grandmother Dame Betty, and had assumed the position of alady. At the time when I left London for River House she had already made a truly marvellous progress in her various studies ; and I was now prepared to learn that during those additional two months she had pro- gressed in a proportionate degree. She was de- lighted to see me: she welcomed me with all the enthusiasm of the most grateful friendship ; and she expressed her regret that she should have been temporarily absent from her dwelling when I called upon her about three weeks previously, at the time I was staying with the Campanellas. “T merely went away for a few days,” she ob- served, “ on a visit to a watering-place ; for I had studied so hard that though of a vigorous consti- tution and enjoying the most robust health, I nevertheless experienced the necessity of change of air.” * Have you seen your grandmother recently ?” I inquired. “1 have not seen her for several months,” she responded: “but I have every reason to believe that she is perfectly quiet at her little cottage be- tween Birmingham and Embledon.” “ And what reason have you for this supposi- tion, Zarah ?” I asked. “ Because I charged the young woman who is in attendance upon her, to send me an account of all my grandmotber’s proceedings,” replied Zarah. “ But you, my dear Miss Percy, have some motive for putting this question ?” “Yes—I have a motive,’ I rejoined: “ for either that young woman of whom you speak proves faithless to the instructions which you have given her; or else your grandmother conducts ber proceedéngs with so much stealtly caution as tg set all espiai at defiance,” “What mean you?” asked Zarah, almost frightened at the words which had just fallen from my lips. “Has that wretched old woman been attempting aught against your peace and security? If so ” and a dark cloud lowered upon the duskily handsome countenance of Zarah. Without any farther preface I proceeded to relate everything that had occurred at Birming- ham—how Beda had fallen in with the old dame— how she had been taken to the cottage—and how she had received her instructions in respect to the poisoned lozenges. Zarah listened in deepest silence, but with looks that indicated all the dis- gust, horror, shame, and indignation which she experienced at the vile machinations of her old grandmother against me. ‘* Beda is as intelligent as she is trustworthy,” said Zarah, in a musing strain when I had ceased speaking. “The answers she gave to my wicked, infatuated grandmother, when questioned as to the circumstances of her entrance into your service, were most shrewd and politic. Oh, that my grandmother should still continue to lend her- self to the abominable schemes of your enemies !— for there can be no doubt in respect to the truth of your conjecture that Edwin St. Clair”—here Zarah’s voice trembled perceptibly—“ and Lady Lilla Essendine were the prime movers in this new scheme of iniquity.” There was a brief pause—at tho expiration of which I said, “1t was for your sake, Zarah, that I yielded to Beda’s representations, and forbore from invoking the aid of the law against those wretches,” “Ok, you are indeed justified in using harsh words!” she ejaculated, while an expression of bitter anguish swept over her countenance. “I thank you, my dear Miss Percy—a thousand times do I thank you for once again consenting to avoid | an expusure which would prove so fatal to those | principally concerned, and which would redound upon others! And, ah! if such exposure had taken place, all that I for the last six months have been doing, would be utterly thrown away !” *“Tdo not understand you, Zarah,”’ I observed, astonished at the remark that had just fallen from her lips. “TI will presently explain myself,’ she re- sponded. “But no!” she abruptly ejaculated: “I will afford you an opportunity of comprehend- ing my meaning. Yes—the time is now come when I must take the step that is to decide my own fate!—that step for which during six long months I have been so assiduously and earnestly preparing myself! And if I be successful—as I hope and trust that I may—Oh! then, in that case, rest assured, my dear Miss Percy, that I shall henceforth exist as a barrier between your- self and any danger on the part of Edwin St. Clair !” There was another pause, during which Zarah seemed absorbed in her reflections; while I myself meditated in wonder and curiosity upon the strange mysterious words that had been flowing from her lips. “You did well to order those poisoned lozenges to be destroyed,” she said, evidently giving sudden expression to a thought which had just recurred to her mind. “ Unfortunately, my dear friend,” she continued, “ my grandmother possesses a mar- vellous skill in the compounding of various drugs; for she has been in Italy and in Egypt—and io those countries she learnt the diabolic art. She has at times spoken to me of many of her secrets; and I am thus at no loss to conjecture what must have been the slow poison which she used in the lozenges that she gave to Beda for the purpose of undermining your constitution and carrying you to a premature grave. That poison is antimony. By administering infinitesimal yet continuous doses, the vital powers are gradually sapped—all the faculties of life itself are impaired—and thus by degrees the victim sinks out of existence. While such a process is guing on, the most skilful medical attendant would be baffled—he could not | possibly suspect the presence of this poison, so - — A a — --- ——_— -—- er em me et tli tc Rt LO CL oo ~~ Pistia yee tee COMMUC 6)(6)(0) <S Com